2012 Titanium Front Strut Low Speed Noise (Clunk/Rattle)

[SD Focus1]

Horned Frog05. What is the mileage on your focus?

[Dysan911]

HornedFrog05,

Wouldn't this issue be covered under the Lemon Law and allow you to get out of the car and get your money back?

[HornedFrog05]

The mileage is 5355 miles. It's been in the shop 4 times:

1st - Transmission needed to be reprogrammed (in service for 3 days)

2nd - Front end noise (in service for 6 days)

3rd - Intelligent Access not working on drivers side (in service for 1 day)

4th (current) - Front end noise (in service since 3/30) and service manager said the whole front suspension has been rebuilt and the sound is still prominent.


I'm looking into Lemon law but it'd be nice if Ford acknowledged the issue and would assist with a buy back or trade in. By the size of this thread it seems like more than just my vehicle is affected.

So frustrated, I really want to like this car but it's so difficult when it's less than 5 months old and it's been in the shop a total of 30days since I bought it in November.

[SD Focus1]

Ok. Mine is 19,000 miles. What is interesting it may be the Sport Suspension package they put Standard on the Titanium’s. Not all of the lower end models have this suspension. I have a 2012 SEL Focus as a rental, it has 25k on it and there is no front end noise as my Titanium has. Mine has been in the shop for 8 days now for the Sunroof and this issue.

[HornedFrog05]

Originally Posted by SD Focus1

Ok. Mine is 19,000 miles. What is interesting it may be the Sport Suspension package they put Standard on the Titanium’s. Not all of the lower end models have this suspension. I have a 2012 SEL Focus as a rental, it has 25k on it and there is no front end noise as my Titanium has. Mine has been in the shop for 8 days now for the Sunroof and this issue.

There's definitely an issue with the Sport Suspension of the Titanium, I'm just so upset that FMC won't acknowledge the apparent massive amount of issues that this specific package is having on the overall performance of the Focus.

Between this and all the previous issues I've had with it (not to mention the completely awful MFT that comes standard with the Titanium), I'm wishing I would have just got a SE with a 5spd tranny or a completely different vehicle all together.

I've been a Ford customer for a long time (first ride was a '98 Ford Ranger) and until now I've been completely satisfied but at this point I'm over Ford.

[Dysan911]

Originally Posted by HornedFrog05

The mileage is 5355 miles. It's been in the shop 4 times:

1st - Transmission needed to be reprogrammed (in service for 3 days)

2nd - Front end noise (in service for 6 days)

3rd - Intelligent Access not working on drivers side (in service for 1 day)

4th (current) - Front end noise (in service since 3/30) and service manager said the whole front suspension has been rebuilt and the sound is still prominent.


I'm looking into Lemon law but it'd be nice if Ford acknowledged the issue and would assist with a buy back or trade in. By the size of this thread it seems like more than just my vehicle is affected.

So frustrated, I really want to like this car but it's so difficult when it's less than 5 months old and it's been in the shop a total of 30days since I bought it in November.

Thats truly unacceptable. I can certainly see where you would feel the way you do about this situation. I would say you clearly have more than enough of a basis to pursue the Lemon Law.

I love everything about my car but I too have that little knock sound from the front end but its only if I have the radio completely turned down, and I'm going over uneven pavement in a turn. I cannot always reproduce it. It sounds like a lose Shock bolt or something. I'm astonished Ford having your car for so long could not find a fix for it. I can only hope that one day there is a fix and a TSB on this issue. Until then its minor for me. Yours must have been very loud and that would have drove me crazy as well. I can't stand rattle and buzz sounds. Eerks my OCD / ADD lol.

Perhaps if you do pursue the LL you might motivate someone up in the higher ranks of Ford that will authorize some action that leads to your complete satisfaction, whether that be a real fix that leads to resolving this issue once and for all for all of us or they buy back your car.

Keep us updated though, I'd be curious to see how this turns out for ya.

Best of luck man!.

[HornedFrog05]

Originally Posted by Dysan911

Thats truly unacceptable. I can certainly see where you would feel the way you do about this situation. I would say you clearly have more than enough of a basis to pursue the Lemon Law.

I love everything about my car but I too have that little knock sound from the front end but its only if I have the radio completely turned down, and I'm going over uneven pavement in a turn. I cannot always reproduce it. It sounds like a lose Shock bolt or something. I'm astonished Ford having your car for so long could not find a fix for it. I can only hope that one day there is a fix and a TSB on this issue. Until then its minor for me. Yours must have been very loud and that would have drove me crazy as well. I can't stand rattle and buzz sounds. Eerks my OCD / ADD lol.

Perhaps if you do pursue the LL you might motivate someone up in the higher ranks of Ford that will authorize some action that leads to your complete satisfaction, whether that be a real fix that leads to resolving this issue once and for all for all of us or they buy back your car.

Keep us updated though, I'd be curious to see how this turns out for ya.

Best of luck man!.

Thanks, I will most definitely keep FF updated as to my situation.

The sound is very loud to a point where passengers have asked if everything was alright with my car. It went away slightly after I first took it into the shop but it's been increasing in volume ever since and I'm like you, sounds bother me! I guess I'll just have to crank up the tunes on the rocking sound system to cover up the noises (sadly SONY is responsible for the one amazing aspect of the vehicle)

[allyy]

Originally Posted by HornedFrog05

The mileage is 5355 miles. It's been in the shop 4 times:

1st - Transmission needed to be reprogrammed (in service for 3 days)

2nd - Front end noise (in service for 6 days)

3rd - Intelligent Access not working on drivers side (in service for 1 day)

4th (current) - Front end noise (in service since 3/30) and service manager said the whole front suspension has been rebuilt and the sound is still prominent.


I'm looking into Lemon law but it'd be nice if Ford acknowledged the issue and would assist with a buy back or trade in. By the size of this thread it seems like more than just my vehicle is affected.

So frustrated, I really want to like this car but it's so difficult when it's less than 5 months old and it's been in the shop a total of 30days since I bought it in November.

Get a way from that dealer . There has to be other Ford dealers near you

[Gizmobiaritz]

Hello,

I have posted a note previously about a severe front end clanking with my 2012 Ford Focus (9000 kilometers).

You can find the problem description here:

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/s...09#post4101909

Unacceptable behavior from Ford:

Dealer diagnosed loud clanking sound, it is very severe it is mainly when you take turns and pass over curbs but sounds very troubling.

Dealer acknowledges there is a problem, kept car for 4 days. Checked car visually but did not see anything under it. Contacted Ford of Canada mechanic Hot Line and Ford told them not to change any parts.

Their solution (Hot Line) was to re-torque all the screws in the front end of the car. Of course it did not work. The noise is very loud and there is clearly a broken part there.

Everybody acknowledges there is a problem and Ford told the dealer to not change any parts.

I am stuck with a broken 33k USD vehicle that makes horrible clanking noises (that is right this vehicle in Canada is 33k USD) and Ford does not want to change any parts?

Is this why there is a mechanic Hot Line so they can tell the dealer not to change any parts? Why is Ford not guiding the dealer to a successful repair? My noise makes my vehicle almost un-drivable.

I forgot to mention, that I went to 2 other dealers for the same problem to get different opinions. Both dealers eventually Hot Lined the problem and got the same response. One of the dealers even performed the suspension TSB (strut, mount and sway bar bushing) and it did nothing.

I have already given my VIN number to Ford on this forum a week ago or so. I have got not responses so far.

Has anybody in Canada had any luck with the suspension problems?

Thank you.

[Focus eh]

Not yet but mine will be going in on Friday to have the one of the strut mounts replaced so I'll keep you all posted on the results. At least my dealer acknowledged the sound and is committed to solving the issue. They are leaning towards it being a strut related issue rather then an engine mount issue but we'll see....